We share the stories, challenges, and successes of the top transit professionals from around the world. Learn how top transit leaders got to where they are with stories and insights from their careers. Get the inside story about public transit and transit trends from the people who run it. Transit Unplugged is hosted and produced by Paul Comfort and brought to you by Modaxo Learn more at https://transitunplugged.com/
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Beyond Ridership – Part 2: Innovation & Smart Procurement with Rikesh Shah
27:53
27:53
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27:53Last week, Mark Aesch and Alvin McBorrough unpacked a striking statistic: only 4 % of Americans ride transit, yet 84 % of people say they value it. This week we keep that conversation going with Rikesh Shah, former Chief Innovation Officer at Transport for London. Together with host Paul Comfort, Rikesh explores how customer‑focused metrics, open d…
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Are Transit KPI’s Broken? Value, AI, and Why We Need to Stop Chasing Ridership
32:37
32:37
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32:37Only 4% of Americans ride transit—but 84% of people in communities with transit say they value it. In this episode, Paul Comfort digs into the details with Mark Aesch (CEO, TransPro Consulting) and Alvin McBorrough (CEO, OGx Consulting). Together they unpack two big levers for agency performance: measuring what actually matters and using AI to deli…
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Reclaiming Your Creativity Through Transit, Chatting w/ the Editor of Mass Transit Magazine, and Will LA Be Ready for the Olympics?
22:23
22:23
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22:23In this special roving-reporter edition of Transit Unplugged, host Paul Comfort takes you inside the 2025 CTAA Expo in San Diego, where he caught up with some of the brightest minds in community and rural transit. From paratransit operations to industry journalism to frontline safety, these conversations reflect the energy, challenges, and innovati…
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Transit Unplugged INSIDER: Paul Comfort Answers 2025’s Biggest Industry Questions
29:22
29:22
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29:22What’s really going on behind the scenes of U.S. public transportation policy? In this special edition of Transit Unplugged Insider, Executive Producer Julie Gates turns the mic on our usual host, Paul Comfort, for a revealing look at the shifting political and funding landscape in Washington—and what every transit executive needs to know right now…
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No Uber, No Lyft, No Taxis—So They Built Their Own Transit System
17:19
17:19
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17:19How do you rebuild a public transportation system from the ground up? In this episode of Transit Unplugged, Paul Comfort sits down with Mallory Avis, Director of Public Transit for the City of Battle Creek, Michigan, to talk about one of the most ambitious overhauls of a small-city transit system in the U.S. today. Recorded live at the CTAA Expo in…
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Global Lessons, Local Gains: What Can Public US Transit Systems Learn From Private Operators in UK And Asia?
34:08
34:08
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34:08In this episode of Transit Unplugged, Paul talks with Samuel Ribeiro, Managing Director of Tower Transit in the UK, part of global transport powerhouse Kelsian Group. With operations spanning Liverpool and the Channel Islands, Samuel shares how lessons from bus systems across four continents—from Australia to Singapore, Brazil to London—are helping…
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Green Hydrogen and CEO Hiring Secrets in America’s Most Livable City
26:54
26:54
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26:54What does it take to build a transit system that powers a city—and wins global recognition for livability? In this episode of Transit Unplugged, Ryan Daniel, CEO of St. Cloud Metro Bus, and Dave Kleis, Board Chair and former mayor of St. Cloud, Minnesota, share how their long-running partnership has driven bold innovation and national recognition. …
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Detroit Transit: Robert Cramer on the People Mover, Fare-Free Service, and Urban Mobility
24:22
24:22
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24:22When most people think of Detroit, they think cars. But behind the Motor City moniker is a layered, multi-agency public transit system—and Robert Cramer is helping connect the dots. As Executive Director of Transit for the City of Detroit, Cramer leads both DDOT and Detroit Transportation Corporation, operator of the iconic elevated People Mover. I…
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From Amtrak to Annapolis: Markus Moore’s Lifetime Career in Transit
21:37
21:37
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21:37Markus Moore, Director of Transportation for the City of Annapolis, joins Paul Comfort from the rooftop of the Hillman Garage during Naval Academy Commissioning Week for a wide-ranging conversation about his remarkable journey through transit. From helping launch high-speed rail in North America as part of the Acela project at Amtrak, to managing l…
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Ozzy Gibson’s Unconventional Road to Transit Leadership
23:12
23:12
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23:12How does a career in law enforcement, animal services, and civic leadership prepare you to run a transit agency? In this week’s Transit Unplugged, host Paul Comfort sits down with Ozzy Gibson, Executive Director of Louisville’s Transit Authority of River City (TARC), for a candid and compelling conversation about public service, accountability, and…
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On the Bus with Coree Cuff Lonergan: Building Broward’s $4B Transit Future
20:03
20:03
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20:03What does it take to launch a $4.3 billion, multi-modal transit expansion? For Coree Cuff Lonergan, CEO of Broward County Transit, it takes vision, momentum—and a bit of patience. This week on Transit Unplugged, host Paul Comfort hops aboard with Coree for a rolling bus interview through Broward County, Florida. They talk big-picture leadership, bo…
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Taking The RIDE: How Michele Stiehler is Elevating Paratransit at MBTA
27:20
27:20
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27:20Michele Stiehler knows paratransit inside and out. After 35 years at New Jersey Transit, she brought her deep operational experience to Boston’s MBTA, where she now oversees one of the largest and most complex paratransit systems in the country. In this episode, Paul Comfort talks with Michele about her leadership philosophy, the importance of fron…
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From 0 to 200: Jeremi Bumpus on Building 207 New Bus Stops with Tech and Tenacity
29:17
29:17
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29:17What happens when a millennial with a higher ed background takes the wheel of a legacy transit agency? You get 207 new bus stops, a real-time tracking app, and a fresh vision for Western Kentucky mobility. In this episode of Transit Unplugged Podcast, Paul Comfort talks with Jeremi Bumpus, Executive Director of Paducah Transit Authority, about lead…
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Leading Transit on Three Continents: Graeme Legh on Growth, Innovation, and Kelsian’s Future
26:57
26:57
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26:57In this episode of Transit Unplugged Podcast, Paul Comfort talks with Graeme Legh, the new CEO of Kelsian Group, one of the world’s leading transit and mobility operators. From ferries off the coast of Australia to motorcoach operations across the U.S., Graeme shares how Kelsian is tackling growth, innovation, and sustainability across three contin…
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From Operator to Officer: Dwight Ferrell on Leading SMART Transit Across Southeast Michigan
26:24
26:24
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26:24From driving a bus in Dallas to leading one of the largest transit systems in the Midwest, Dwight Ferrell’s story is the blueprint for leadership rooted in experience. In this episode of Transit Unplugged, host Paul Comfort rides along with Dwight, General Manager of the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART), for a candid …
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Moving the Masses: M.J. Maynard on the Power of Las Vegas Transit’s One-of-a-Kind Agency Model
31:16
31:16
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31:16This week on Transit Unplugged, Paul visits Las Vegas to talk with M.J. Maynard, CEO of the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC). From managing traffic for massive events like the Las Vegas Marathon and Formula 1, to running one of the busiest bus-only transit systems in the U.S., M.J. gives us a behind-the-scenes look at wha…
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From Hydrogen to the World Cup: John Rossant on the Future of Mobility
30:14
30:14
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30:14In this episode of Transit Unplugged, Paul Comfort sits down with John Rossant, founder and CEO of CoMotion, to explore what’s next for cities, transit, and technology. From preparing for mega-events like the World Cup to pioneering hydrogen-powered aviation, John shares how CoMotion is helping shape the future of urban mobility—with a pasta recipe…
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